Angels' Smith could miss 2018 season

After an injury-filled 2017 campaign, Nate Smith probably will not return to the mound next year.
The Angels' ninth-ranked prospect underwent shoulder surgery in September, according to the Orange County Register, which reported that the recovery timetable is typically 12 to 14 months.

Smith began this past season on the disabled list with a forearm strain before making his debut with Triple-A Salt Lake on May 9. After allowing one hit and striking out four over 5 2/3 scoreless innings, the southpaw returned to the disabled list with the same injury. He made three rehab starts in the Rookie-level Arizona League, spinning 9 1/3 shutout frames, before being shut down for good.
Smith has climbed steadily through the system since the Angels selected him in the eighth round of the 2013 Draft, going 32-25 with a 3.75 ERA, 389 strikeouts and 140 walks over 456 career innings. Los Angeles had planned to call up the Furman product for his Major League debut in September 2016, but an elbow "twinge" kept him out. The 26-year-old was added to the Angels' 40-man roster a couple months later.
Smith's best pitch is his changeup, which is graded above-average by MLBPipeline.com, while mixing in an average fastball and curveball.